


if you wanna kiss the boy, then you better kiss the boy right now

by recollection



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Candy Hearts, Kissing, M/M, this is basically all the times troy and abed shouldve kissed in the show, troy looks at abed a little too long and realises just how much he wants to kiss him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:29:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29813970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/recollection/pseuds/recollection
Summary: Troy wants to kiss Abed, and so he does.
Relationships: Troy Barnes/Abed Nadir
Comments: 21
Kudos: 120





	if you wanna kiss the boy, then you better kiss the boy right now

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from Kiss the Boy by Keiynan Lonsdale

The first time they kiss, it’s brief; unsure. 

It’s the early hours of the morning after Annie’s Day of the Dead party, the majority of party goers have already wandered home. They’re situated in a hidden section of the library, their backs pressed firmly against a shelf with a stolen bowl of lollies between them. The last hour has been spent chatting idly about anything and everything. 

It kind of stuns Troy, when he spies the clock through a slot between the books and unexpectedly comes to realise just how relaxed and at ease he feels right now. He’s never experienced a kind of friendship like this before, one where he can freely mention whatever crosses his mind. 

And he thinks that maybe it’s because of the atmosphere that’s settled over them, or it’s from the eventful evening they’d all experienced, or maybe it’s that the lighting is hitting Abed in just the right way, or perhaps it’s a mix of all three. And maybe it’s moreso because he just can’t stop thinking about how Abed called him a very attractive, young man earlier. But irregardless of  _ why, _ the question passes through his lips before his brain can think to stop it, the words “Can I kiss you?” floating in the silence. 

Abed doesn’t respond, and Troy doesn’t know why he’s not rushing to take back what he said. But then Abed faces him, eyes scanning his face, seemingly searching for signs of insincerity, before he shrugs and tosses out a “Sure.”

Troy shifts closer, leaning on his right arm, hesitating slightly as he registers what he’s about to do. Because he’s not gay, right? He’s not. But then again, they  _ are _ both in costume, so really, he’s not Troy and that’s not Abed sitting oh, so close to him, so it doesn’t count. 

And with that reasoning, Troy tilts his head and presses his lips to Abed’s. 

The kiss barely lasts five seconds. To any onlookers, it would’ve seemed underwhelming. Just a brief touch of lips. But to Troy, and not that he’d ever admit it aloud, it was entirely overwhelming. 

He’s the first to pull away, leaning back to rest against the bookshelf once more, his gaze settling somewhere among the books in front of him. His hand raises subconsciously to his face, running a thumb along the bottom lip, almost as if to replicate the light press of Abed’s lips. He isn’t entirely sure what exactly he expected, but he  _ does _ know it’s going to play on his mind for the next whoever-knows-how-long. And it’s probably going to run his brain into overdrive. 

When he hears Abed call his name, he guesses a few minutes have passed, but he really couldn’t say for sure. Time seems to lose all meaning this time of night, and what they just shared particularly doesn’t help his brain focus. 

“Yeah?” Troy absently responds, his mind still a million miles away. 

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah.”

It’s another moment before Abed speaks again, and his voice is more curious than anything when he asks, “Was the kiss okay?”

That draws Troy’s gaze from the shelf in front of him to meet his eyes. He tries to decipher what emotions he can sense are lying underneath, but to his dismay, he can’t. So instead, he settles for reassuring him with a breathy smile. “Yeah, no, the kiss was fine, buddy.”

“Cool. Cool cool cool.”

Quiet settles around them again, and Troy figures that maybe Abed can sense that he needs a distraction, because he’s soon asking for Troy’s thoughts about his next film project, which leads to a discussion about the best  _ Batman _ movie which leads to Batman impressions. 

Troy doesn’t bring up the kiss, and neither does Abed. He doesn’t quite know what to make of that.

—

The second time they kiss, it’s tender.

Troy can’t even count the different sports and activities he’s attempted to beat Abed at throughout the day, much less count the emotions currently flowing through his mind and body. All he knows is he needs to win, just once. 

It’s somewhere towards the end, in an empty hallway not far from the cafeteria, that Troy thinks maybe he’s finally lost his mind. Perhaps the strain he’s placed on his body has also put a strain on his brain too, because he can’t otherwise conceive of why he’s insisting Abed should sit on his back as he attempts to do more push-ups than him. 

Abed clambers on, his fingers light against Troy’s shoulders as he steadies himself. Troy attempts to ignore the shiver that runs down his spine when those nimble fingers brush the nape of his neck. 

He’s quick to lose count, (and he’s not entirely sure he kept count past two, what with the ever present knowledge of Abed’s hands on him) his arms unexpectedly giving out and sending him crashing to the ground. Abed lands in a heap beside him and neither move, though neither indicate any injuries. 

Troy rests his heated cheeks against the cool, linoleum floor, and his eyes find their way to Abed’s. His heart is racing, and whether it’s from the attempted push-ups or from the way his entire being is begging him to inch closer, he can’t differentiate. He does shift closer though, mere centimetres separating their lips when he pauses, apprehension taking hold. The subtle movement of Abed nodding captures his attention and is all the confirmation he needs to close the distance. 

Abed’s lips are softer than he remembers. His left hand rises towards Abed’s face and falters slightly, unsure whether such an intimate touch is allowed. Abed’s hand envelops his, startling him somewhat, and guides it to his cheek, holding it there. Troy brushes his thumb gently across the cheekbone. The kiss is short, yet sweet and tender, and Troy finds himself longing for more. 

When they part, Troy’s head finds the ground again, his mind swirling with the millions of thoughts vying for his attention. They all pass him in a daze, though, as he can’t focus on anything other than the eyes a short distance from his. 

The hallway’s quiet, the sound of their soft breathing filling the air, and Troy curiously wonders whether his heartbeat can be heard by Abed. It’s entirely plausible, he thinks, given that it’s all he can currently hear. 

He sees Abed’s lips part, and when he asks what the next challenge is, Troy can’t help but let out a laugh. He pushes himself to his feet and holds out a hand to Abed, hoisting him up. He tries to ignore the warmth in his chest from the feel of Abed’s hand in his, and there’s a twinkle in his eye as he answers. “A race.”

—

The third time they kiss, it’s one of comfort. 

There’s a throb radiating across Troy’s cheek, but it dulls in comparison to the tingles coursing through his fingers when they accidentally brush against Abed’s face. He presses the damp cloth clutched tightly in his grip gently over the scrapes on Abed’s cheek, the ones sustained from the Christmas fight. His heart knots when a sharp hiss escapes Abed’s lips. 

“Sorry,” Troy whispers, his eyebrows knitting in guilt. He dunks the cloth in the bowl, the heat from the water stinging the cuts on his knuckles. He wrings it out and reapplies pressure over his cheek. Abed’s eyes draw close at the warmth and he leans into the touch, almost a nuzzle as he breathes a soft sigh. 

Something about the sight of him there fills his heart with longing, a deep ache in his chest begging to be filled. The dim light streaming in from the window casts soft shadows across his face, and Troy wants to trace every single one. 

Troy doesn’t notice himself moving closer until their breath mingles. He should retreat, pull back before Abed notices his presence. It’s at that moment, though, just as Troy’s preparing to shift back, that Abed’s eyes flutter open. But he doesn’t startle. Instead, he fixes his gaze on Troy, and moves intrinsically closer, just enough for Troy to close the gap. 

The pressure of the kiss draws his attention to a forming bruise on his bottom lip, and he winces, but the feel of Abed against his lips keeps him there. He shifts closer on the bed, cupping Abed’s other cheek with his free hand in order to deepen the kiss. Abed’s fingers wrap around his wrists, the light grip holding him in place. It’s soft, comforting, and warms him to the tips of his toes. 

When they part, Troy lingers just slightly in front of Abed’s face as he steadies himself. His eyes remain closed, taking the moment to relive the kiss, committing it to memory to safeguard it. He doesn’t want to forget how he feels in this moment. 

When his eyes slide open with a certain heaviness, he finds Abed’s eyes flitting about his face, curiosity lying in his gaze. Troy’s lips part, to ask one of the many questions floating about his head, to say something, but then Abed’s asking for the cloth. He tends to a scrape on his forehead, his other hand steadying him by resting on Troy’s shoulder. Troy settles for staring wordlessly at the man sitting across from him. 

He’s mildly aware of the ache in his chest and how it seemed to have filled with warmth yet expanded immensely all at once, insisting on it’s presence being known. He tries not to linger on what that means. 

—

The fourth time they kiss, it’s insistent and frantic. 

Troy doesn’t know when his hand slipped into Abed’s, but the firm yet sweaty grip calms him, at least until he’s reminded of the situation when hands brush against his neck, back, arms. Anywhere the zombies can reach. (And, of course Troy’s fully aware that they’re just people infected with a rabies-related pathogen that’s compelling them to bite anyone nearby, but that doesn’t make the situation any less terrifying.)

They find themselves trapped, a chain fence being the only barrier between them and those infected, and his heart is racing  _ so hard. _ Everything’s happening so fast, and the intensity keeps rising, and the clanging of limbs against metal indicate they’re only moments from being caught. Abed’s insisting on him leaving, to be the first black man to make it to the end, and maybe it’s the realisation that Abed is willing to sacrifice himself if it means Troy survives is what compels him to nod. 

But he can’t abandon Abed, not like this. Not after he’s spent the evening so torn between the feelings he’s begun to realise, and his desire to stay the person he’s always believed he was. And so, he grips Abed’s shirt tightly and tugs him close. 

The kiss is one that will undoubtedly bruise his lips, but it’s filled with heat and life and everything  _ right, _ a complete opposite to everything happening around them. Troy’s not usually one to pray, but as the noise rises around them, getting louder and more demanding, he prays the kiss is conveying everything he hasn’t had the bravery to confess. 

Abed breaks the kiss apart, pushing Troy to safety with worry in his eyes, and on the ledge, Troy can survey the area. He can see Abed below, staring up at him, and the zombies that are seconds away from breaking through. Dread overtakes him when he realises the likelihood Abed might  _ die, _ and is the missing link to understanding the depth of his feelings. 

And so, before he escapes into the night, he’s calling out Abed’s name, his voice steady as he says, “I love you.”

Abed’s response of “I know” is all the confirmation he needs. 

As Troy races around the building, he makes a promise to talk to Abed once he’s saved the day. Because he needs Abed to know how he’s taken over his heart and mind, body and soul, and has become the single most important person in his life, and how he can’t imagine life without him. He needs Abed to know just how the kisses they’ve shared make him feel, and how they’re all he can think about most days. 

(The one thing he doesn’t anticipate is the Army erasing their memories.)

—

The fifth time they kiss, it’s unexpected and needy. 

They’d just reinforced the blanket fort, raising it with the aid of chairs and stacks of pillows to allow them to move freely beneath the blankets. It’s dim all around them, the only light squeezing through the cracks between the materials. They’re seated a metre apart, their heads moving to take in the structure surrounding them, before their gazes move to linger on the other in front of them. 

He’s unsure who made the first move. One moment they were locked in a silent stare, eyes unreadable, and the next, they’re wrapped up in the other. Troy’s fingers lock in Abed’s hair, and he feels him clamber into his lap, legs situated on either side of his thighs. All around him is  _ Abed Abed Abed, _ invading all his senses. All he can taste, can smell, can  _ feel _ is Abed. It’s unparalleled to anything else he’s ever experienced. 

Troy almost misses the creak of Abed’s door opening, the familiar voice of Pavel startling him slightly, and they break apart. Troy’s hands come to rest on Abed’s waist, tentative fingers gripping his hips. They’re panting, and Abed’s breath is hot against his face, sending shivers down his spine. His lips tingle with the absence of Abed’s.

He’s a little dismayed when Abed gently climbs off him and pokes his head through a gap to greet Pavel. He’d happily abandon the blanket fort if it meant they could continue kissing, because honestly, Troy’s certain his lips would’ve stayed attached to Abed’s for an indeterminate amount of time had Pavel not interrupted. 

—

The sixth time they kiss, it’s sweet. 

They find themselves back in the study room, the blindfold Abed had worn sits forgotten on the table as they snack on the remaining candy hearts. His eyes skim over the words scribed on the heart in his hand, the simple  _ Be Mine _ glaring back at him, freezing him in place. 

His mind traces back to the various phrases he’d picked for Abed to guess, the  _ Be Mine, Love You, Kiss Me. _ Had he subconsciously been trying to tell Abed something? To tell  _ himself _ something?

He recalls the few kisses they’ve shared, inklings of memories and emotions drawing themselves free from his subconscious and hitting him with full force. It seems so obvious, the way the ache that seems ever present only seems to vanish when he’s kissing Abed, when he’s letting himself have the one thing he wants, and how he always finds himself longing for more. More kisses, more to the friendship they have; more of Abed. 

“Abed?”

“Yeah, Troy?”

His heart is racing, his chest heavy with nerves and the adrenaline rushing through his body, and his eyes find Abed’s as he utters, “I think I’m in love with you.”

“I know,” Abed responds, and Troy can’t even begin to process it because Abed’s leaning in close, so close, and his breath, sweet from the candy hearts, fans over his face as he whispers, “I’m in love with you, too.”

Abed initiates the kiss, his hands coming up to rest at the nape of Troy’s neck, toying with the hair. The kiss, mixed with the confession, creates a freeing effect over Troy, and he lets himself want more; lets himself have more,  _ have Abed. _ He pulls himself closer, a hand resting on Abed’s thighs as he deepens the kiss. Contentment spreads through his body, and he wants to live in this moment forever, wants to remain here, like this, with Abed, forever and always. 

The candy heart from before digs into his hand, and breaking the kiss, Troy reaches up and places it into Abed’s hand, enclosing his fingers around it. He watches as Abed curiously inspects it, gripping it in his fingers tightly. Turning, Abed retrieves his notebook and, blocking Troy’s view of the paper, he scribbles something before sliding the pad across the table. 

Drawn there is a simple heart, the word  _ YES _ in the centre. 

Troy traces the curve with his finger, his heart swelling. He pulls the bowl of hearts closer, searching until he finds one that reads  _ You’re Cute, _ and slides it across to Abed. Abed smiles at him, his eyes full of adoration, before searching for a heart of his own. He places it in the palm of Troy’s hand, one that reads  _ Kiss Me. _

Troy doesn’t need to read it twice.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you're unsure on which episodes these take place, they are (in order): 1.07: Introduction to Statistics, 1.11: The Politics of Human Sexuality, 1.12: Comparative Religion, 2.06: Epidemiology, 2.09: Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design, and 2.15: Early 21st Century Romanticism. 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @ 2x06


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